Dole enacted a rule in 1985 requiring automakers to install driver-side airbags in all new cars unless — and this is the kicker — two-thirds of states pass mandatory seat belt laws by April 1, 1989. Dole`s Rule was so politically smart because it looked like a regulation, but was actually a gift to the auto industry. Cars already had seat belts, so Detroit only had to convince states to pass mandatory seat belt laws, and installing expensive airbags or automatic seat belts was out of the question. A well-fitting harness offers the best protection, but any restraint is better than nothing at all. Unfortunately, car accidents happen all the time. Most people have been involved in one of them or know someone who has. The severity of an accident depends on many factors, including the speed and type of vehicles involved. At the same time, studies show that wearing seat belts most often reduces the extent of injuries. Deaths are often prevented by the use of seat belts. The battle over seat belt laws in America in the 1980s reflected widespread criticism of government regulation in a free society. The controversy first flared up in 1973 when NHTSA required all new cars to include an inexpensive technology called the “seat belt locking mechanism,” which prevented a vehicle from starting when the driver was not wearing a seat belt. Proponents say seat belts prevent your body from jumping forward, being thrown around the vehicle, or being thrown out of the vehicle.
In a high-impact car accident, unbridled human bodies can be thrown into windows, doors, seats, dashboard or windshield. This can lead to serious injury. Such an impact also causes corpses to be thrown out of a vehicle, often resulting in catastrophic injury or death. There were even allegations that GM was pressuring states to pass a seat belt bill or be excluded from possible sites for a multibillion-dollar Saturn plant. G.M. called the allegations “absolutely ridiculous.” Thirty-four states and the District of Columbia have primary enforcement. Primary enforcement laws allow a police officer to stop and summon a motorist simply because he or she was not wearing a seat belt. In states where enforcement is secondary, police can only enforce the law if the motorist has first been stopped for another offense. Primary seat belt enforcement can be implemented soon after the law enforcement amendment comes into force, unless the update requires a delayed coming-into-force date to allow for transition to the new type of enforcement.1 Children are at much higher risk of death or injury if they drive without restriction or in the wrong type of device of restraint. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) issued recommendations in August 2018 stating that children should stay in rear-facing safety seats for as long as possible until they reach the height or highest weight recommended by the manufacturer. The AAP`s previous recommendation, published in 2011, was that children should be in rear-facing seats until at least 2 years of age.
Seat belt use in 2019 was lowest among occupants of pickup trucks (86%), compared to occupants of cars (91%) and vans and SUVs (93%). (National Centre for Statistics and Analysis, 2019) Persistent acoustic seat belt recalls are no less effective than locks and may raise fewer concerns for drivers, according to a new study. Those who investigate traffic accidents report that seat belts reliably and effectively reduce the severity and likelihood of injury in a car accident. In a world where accidents occur and are one of the leading causes of death, seat belts are a tool you can use to protect yourself and your passengers. Most belts in the back seat do not have collision tensioners and force limiters. Laws also vary depending on whether or not they require seat belts. The TNTT program was originally developed at a hospital in Portland, Oregon. It focuses on educating people on how to avoid and reduce health risks. Nurses from the Robeson County Emergency or Trauma Room taught the course at the area`s main hospital. The nurse who developed the Oregon TNTT program led the efforts in Robeson County, using many of the same materials as the original program. The course covers the correct use of seat belts and child seats, the cost of not using seat belts, the effects of alcohol and speeding, and the physics of accidents.